qualified to face undefeated defending national champions Florida State in the Rose Bowl, designated a semi-final game for the College Football Playoff. The Ducks defeated the Seminoles 59–20. With the win the Ducks advanced to the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game to face the No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, who defeated No. 1 ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the other College Football Playoff semi-final game. The Ducks lost in the CFP National Championship game 42–20 against the Buckeyes. Oregon finished the 2014 season with an overall record of 13-2 and a No. 2 ranking in the final Associated Press football poll. Oregon was ranked in the top 10 in both major pre-season football polls for 2015. Following the departure of Marcus Mariota to the NFL, Oregon found itself without a proven option at quarterback. Vernon Adams, a highly regarded player for three years at FCS Eastern Washington, moved to Oregon for his final season of eligibility as a graduate transfer. Adams was injured in his first game as a Duck—ironically, against his old team, Eastern Washington—and either sat out of or played ineffectively in the next five games of 2015, as Oregon opened 3–3. Once Adams returned to full health, the team went on a run through conference play, winning the last six games of the regular season to finish 9–3, earning a bid in the 2016 Alamo Bowl against Texas Christian. In the Alamo Bowl, Oregon raced to a 31–0 lead in the first half, but Adams exited the game after an injury; TCU made one of the greatest comebacks in bowl game history in the second half, eventually tying the game and winning the game in the third overtime period, 47–41. Oregon was ranked No. 19 AP /No. 20 Coaches in the polls following the 2015 season. The 2015 Oregon football season was marred by defensive ineptitude. Opponents tallied 37.5 points per game, the worst total in program history, despite the presence of All-American defensive end DeForrest Buckner, who was drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Following the season, Don Pellum took the fall for the poor performance on defense and returned to position coaching, and Helfrich hired Brady Hoke, an experienced college head coach, as defensive coordinator on January 16, 2016. Helfrich promoted receiver coach Matt Lubick to offensive coordinator prior to